The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-08-03
rrrrcr OF ALCOHOL ON rnE STOMACH.

EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON THE STOMACH.
We frequently read in the daily
press accounts Of sudden death, after
drinking quantity of liquor-say a
pint of whiskey. DR.. Taylor relates
the case of a man who died in half an
hour, after drinking a bottle of gin
something over a pint DR.. Seaverns
speaks of child which died in twen
ty four hours, after swallowing one
ounce of rum. A few ounces of strong |
alcohol say six ounces taken into |
the stomach, and absorbed into the
system, will kill very strong man,
in very short time. Where these
facts are known people wonder why
Smith, Brown, and Jones do not die,
as they are very hard drinkers. 1t is
because alcoholic liquors, used as a
beverage, are composed of alcohol
very much diluted with water. Ordi
nary good whisky or brandy, if there
can be anything good in that which is
bad, contains about forty per cent to
fifty per cent of alcohol, 1. e., they are
about half water. But notwithstand-
ing they are so much diluted, so pow
erful is the pioson of alcohol that
when taken into the stomach, even in
this diluted state, congestion of the
coats and vessels of that organ almost
Immediately ensues.
How do we know that this action
, occurs? l answer, from experiments
, made in many cases by eminent au-
, thorities, but especially by DR.. Beau
mont, of the United States Army, in
1922, through an opening in the stom'
g ach, made by gunshot wound, in the
left side of a Canadian lad, named
Alexander st. Martin, tearing away
, the teguments and muscles, perforat.
ing the stomach, leaving an aperture
two and one half inches in circumfer'
ence, through which the whole process;
of digestion, and the action of liquids
!, and solids, could be studied. Thus il
- was proven by experiments, that wher
alcohol, in any form, was taken intC
, the stomach, it produced congestion
by acting as an irritant. If there b.
food in the stomach when alcohol il
. taken, as was proven also by DR.. Mon
roe, of London, digestion is immediate
r, ly stopped, until the alcohol is absorb
:, ed. The alcohol, being antiseptic
= stops fermentation, hence stops diges
ton. And thus it is an habitual use
of alcoholic beverages must become
dyspeptic. The walls Of the stomach
'ne become hardened, thickened; the pep
- tic glands, which secrete the gastri
! Juice, become atrophied, are rendere,
- - inactive, and the supply Of g:5iri
juice, which is so essential to digestion
or is materially diminished. 1t doe
~ m1re-it precipitates the pepsin fror
;n the gastric juice, and renders that fui
! useless.
:. In nearly all cases of chronic alec
a holism we find inflammation of til
90 stomach, resulting in foul ulcers, an
:. cancerous diseases of that organ. tt
- functions of the stomach, in cases
"a this kind, are entirely suspended. III
,ro power to digest food, and every proce
of waste and repair is weakened. III
:. patient does not willingly take fooC
-. may not have taken any for days al
weeks. If food is forced upon hi
the stomach rejects it. Nausea al
vomiting are present. He cam
even retain water, except in We
the small quantities. Sometimes a lar
':y ey' quantity of clotted blood is ejectt
nth If the patient dies with delirium Il
ded mems a post mortem examination W
on generally reveal the stomach bla
rear with modification. n.-James Gray Je
Of ell, N. d., resident physician Home
ler, Inebriates, S. F., Cal.
'ck,
was
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